Along with snow days and holiday festivities, the winter also means dry air. To keep your home comfortable this season, here are a few reasons to consider investing in a quality humidifier:
- Moisture in the air affects room temperature
When relative humidity reaches 80 percent or higher, it makes an already hot day feel that much worse. But low humidity has the opposite effect: It makes the air feel colder than it actually is.
Let’s say that your preferred thermostat setting in the winter is 67 degrees. Your furnace will heat the air to 67 degrees, but with 10 percent humidity in the air, that 67 will feel like only 64 degrees. Using a humidifier to raise the humidity up to 40 percent (which is about the ideal setting for indoors) makes it feel like 65 degrees instead. But that one extra degree makes a real difference once your next heating bill arrives!
- Your cat doesn’t enjoy getting shocked all the time
Static electricity is the result of dryness in the air. So when your cat rubs up against a couch, or rolls around in a blanket, that’s not a problem in warmer summer weather.
But during the winter, it can lead to a buildup of electricity in kitty’s fur that you won’t see. So, when you go to pet your cat you both feel a ZAP instead. Raising the humidity in the air makes this far less likely to occur. Your cats would thank you if they could. Or, maybe not. They’re still cats, after all.
- Your snoring keeps everyone else awake at night
Dry air causes our nasal passages to stick together at night, and forcing air through them produces the unmistakable – and sometimes unbearable – sound that we all know as snoring.
We might not notice it because we’re asleep at the time, but others in the house can hear it all too well. Putting a humidifier to work helps prevent snoring, meaning that everyone else will sleep better at night.
- Your woodwork doesn’t like dry air, either
When the humidity starts dropping, it puts a strain on anything that’s made out of wood, especially furniture, window trim and doors. Utilizing a humidifier reduces the chance that these items will crack from becoming too dried out.
- Winter illnesses can be reduced or avoided altogether
One major home remedy for getting sick is to turn on the humidifier and let it do its thing. But running the humidifier before you get sick can help our bodies to filter out the viruses and bacteria that cause illnesses in the first place. A few gallons worth of liquid prevention can really go a long way.
- Your voice needs all the help it can get
Whether we’re caroling with some friends or talking to others about planning a family feast, we need our voices to be strong at this time of year. But dry air strains our vocal chords, leaving us with a raspy sound instead. Using a humidifier lets us breathe in moist air on a regular basis, which helps ensure that we always sound our best.
- Your skin will thank you, too
Dry air can also lead to dry, flaky skin. A humidifier can help combat itchy skin and chapped lips, thus reducing your need for moisturizers and balms.
Want to keep your home comfortable this season? Consult the air quality experts at Mitchell Heating.
Mitchell Heating is a family-owned and operated business dedicated to serving the Colorado Springs, Denver Metro and Northern Colorado areas through quality and affordable service. To schedule a home visit, or discuss why a humidifier may be right for you, call (202) 621-2247.